“YOUR DIAMONDS ARE NOT IN FAR DISTANT MOUNTAINS OR IN YONDER SEAS; THEY ARE IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD, IF YOU BUT DIG.” –Reverend Russell Conwell, founder and first president of Temple University
As part of the celebration of the centennial of Friends of the Wissahickon, an organization founded in 1924 to conserve the natural beauty and wildness of the Wissahickon Valley, SCH presents the 2024 Fall Barbara Crawford Gallery exhibition, Visions of the Wissahickon: Art Inspired by the Wissahickon Valley, now through December 3. Alumna Judy McCabe Jarvis ’77 and Aimee Rush King P'26 curated the exhibition to showcase the beauty of the Wissahickon Valley, highlighting the landscape, historic structures, and scenic views. “The park‘s jagged topography boasts of creeks, schist, walls, and bridges that transform throughout the year with the changing seasons,” says Jarvis.
By fostering a deeper understanding of and reverence for local natural resources, the exhibition aspires to cultivate a community dedicated to their preservation and includes work by more than a dozen artists, many of whom are Springside and CHA alumni. Artwork includes sculpture, paintings, photographs, and mixed media pieces showcasing the landscape, historic structures, and scenic views of the Wissahickon Valley and watershed.
“I was inspired to organize a show focused on the Wissahickon while reflecting on a speech by the Reverend Russell Conwell, the founder and first president of Temple University,” says Jarvis. “In the speech, Conwell exhorted his listeners to find fame and fortune where they were, rather than look far afield, famously concluding his speech, ‘Your diamonds are not in far distant mountains or in yonder seas; they are in your own backyard, if you but dig.’ As I reflected on his words in recent years, I saw them in a new light. I had searched the world for great scenes to paint, largely ignoring the beauty in my (and SCH’s!) own backyard— the Wissahickon Valley. I realized that Wissahickon Valley Park‘s 1,800 acres and 50 miles of trails were her diamonds.”
This fall, SCH is igniting a passion for the local environment through an immersive connection to the exhibition. By exploring their role as stewards of the Wissahickon and, by extension, all nearby land, students will develop a deeper appreciation for nature. Through gallery talks, storytelling, hands-on community service, and creative outlets like photography, watercolor, and oil painting, students will uncover the rich connections between the outdoors and their academic pursuits. Our faculty, alongside talented guest artists and historians, will weave together the threads of visual arts, sciences, entrepreneurship, and English, inspiring students to become thoughtful and engaged citizens.
“We hope this show encourages a new generation of artists and conservationists by showing the Wissahickon through the eyes of accomplished artists,” says Megan Monaghan, director of the arts at SCH.
The gallery is open to the public on these dates:
- Friday, September 20, 3:00-5:00 PM
- Friday, November 8, 3:00-5:00 PM
- Community Reception | Friday, November 15, 3:00-6:00 PM